Clearly this is the sort of thing referred to in a letter of December 20:—­]

Got through the Association business very well, but had to show that I am the kind of head that does not lend itself to wagging by the tail.

[The Senate of the University of London showed practical unanimity in accepting the idea of taking on teaching functions if the Commission should think it desirable, though the Medical Schools were still desirous of getting their degree granted on the mere license examination of the Royal Colleges, without any evidence of general culture or academical training, and on July 28 Huxley writes:—­]

The decision of the representatives of the Medical Schools is just such as I should have expected.  I always told my colleagues in the Senate of the University of London that such was their view, and that, in the words of Pears’ advertisement, they “would not be happy till they got it.”

And they won’t get it unless the medical examining bodies are connected into a distinct degree-giving body.

[In the course of the autumn matters seemed to be progressing.  He writes to Sir M. Foster, November 9:—­]

I am delighted to say that Paget [Sir James Paget, Vice-Chancellor of the University.] has taken up the game, and I am going to a committee of the University this day week to try my powers of persuasion.  If the Senate can only be got to see where salvation lies and strike hard without any fooling over details, we shall do a great stroke of business for the future generations of Londoners.

[And by the end of the year he writes:—­]

I think we are going to get something done, as the Senate of the University of London has come into line with us, and I hope University College will do the same.

[Meanwhile he was asked if he would appear before the Commission and give evidence—­to “talk without interrogation” so as to convince the Commission of the inadequacy of the teaching of science in general and of the absence of means and appliances for the higher teaching.  This he did early in January 1893, representing partly his own views, partly those of the Association, to whom he read what he proposed to say, before being authorised to speak on their behalf.

His position is finally defined by the following letter:—­]

February 9, 1893.

Dear Professor Weldon,

I wish anything I have said or shall say about the organisation of the New University to be taken in connection with the following postulates which I conceive to be of primary importance: 

1.  The New University is not to be a separate body from the present University of London.

2.  All persons giving academic instruction of a certain rank are to be “University Professors.”

3.  The Senate is to contain a large proportion of representatives of the “University Professors” with a limited term of office (say five years).